Ideas For Teaching New Science Vocabulary

[TampaTeach]

Hi. I am looking for new ways to teach science vocabulary in new and creative ways my students will enjoy. The notecard system is getting old with them.

Any suggestions? Thanks a lot.

[Unregistered]

After the vocaluary has been introduced through textbook reading, lecture, assingment, etc.,...review them with the students using Jeopardy-type files.

My Biology and A&P kids love the gaming format, and they really do remember the terminology better after the review, I usually do this activity a day or two before the test, but it would work anytime after the chapter has been introduced.

Jeopardy is a Powerpoint file - there are a LOT of templates out on the internet. Here are some links.....

Predmade games and way at the bottom of page is a link for download a blank jeopardy template. http://www.hardin.k12.ky.us/res_techn/countyjeopardygames.htm

http://www.elainefitzgerald.com/jeopardy.htm

Quia has a shared folder for great games: http://www.quia.com/shared/bio/

Lots and lots of links: http://www.shambles.net/pages/learning/games/jeopardy/

Who wants to be a Millionaire fomrat is also fun as well as Hangman (Wheel of Fortune).

Happy Gaming, Monica

[Deborah]

I have my students pronounce the words after me, then I choose a student to lead the class in the same way. I try to connect the words to something they can relate to in their life. Then I created a sheet in which they choose a word or words. On that Brain Booster sheet, they have to use the word in a proper sentence in their own words, Draw, title, label and color an illustration of the voacabulary, write the definition in their own words and then write the scientific defintion for that word.

Our principal refuses to allow our students to write definitions for vocabulary. He doesn't like to read, or write himself. Therefore, we do not do Accelerated Reading, and reading in class, etc. I really dread how this is going to affect our students in the coming years. This is his first year at our new school. Everything has to be his ideal or you get called on the carpet. He wants everyone passing regardless of whether they are making the grade. UGH! So far, it has been the toughest teaching year of my 15 years. It is not the kids. He walks overhead our classrooms and listens to us teaching through the vents. I told him, I thought this was very unprofessional and that he was welcome to walk into my classroom anytime. Needless to say, we have had several chats. lol

[Susie]

Susie, I have my students pronounce the words after me, then I choose a student to lead the class in the same way. I try to connect the words to something they can relate to in their life. Then I created a sheet in which they choose a word or words. On that Brain Booster sheet, they have to use the word in a proper sentence in their own words, Draw, title, label and color an illustration of the voacabulary, write the definition in their own words and then write the scientific defintion for that word.

Our principal refuses to allow our students to write definitions for vocabulary. He doesn't like to read, or write himself. Therefore, we do not do Accelerated Reading, and reading in class, etc. I really dread how this is going to affect our students in the coming years. This is his first year at our new school. Everything has to be his ideal or you get called on the carpet. He wants everyone passing regardless of whether they are making the grade. UGH! So far, it has been the toughest teaching year of my 15 years. It is not the kids. He walks overhead our classrooms and listens to us teaching through the vents. I told him, I thought this was very unprofessional and that he was welcome to walk into my classroom anytime. Needless to say, we have had several chats. lol[/QUOTE]

[Gail Hennessey]

I posted these voc. activities for social studies teachers but I'm sure they could be used in science as well.... My students enjoyed doing these activities to foster vocabulary building.
As a social studies teacher, I utilized several vocabulary activities to help teach the terminology.
1. HISTO- The students place words in a grid(ie: Tic Tac Toe) of 9 or 16 and I then say the definition of the posted words. The first student(students) to get the words across, down or diagonally, to stand and say HISTO, would have to state the word and its meaning. Winners got tickets to use towards less homework, candy treats, ice cream , free book , etc.
2. BLUFF- Students are divided into two teams. A word would be defined. Those that know the answer stand. Those that don't and wish to "bluff" the answer can stand, too. A student is called on to give the definition. If correct, the number of points of students standing is awarded(or deducted if the person called doesn't know the answer).
3. BACK WORDS- A voc. term is placed on the back of each student. They then circulate around the room asking YES or NO questions of others to "guess" the word on their back.
4. CONCENTRATION- like the old game. Small groups are given a list of voc. words and a list of meanings They shuffle the words on a desk face down and then take turns trying to match the word and its definition.
5. DRAW a Word- Students use a word, ie: Open door policy when studying China and try to illustrate the word with a picture.

Best,
Gail Hennessey
http://www.gailhennessey.com

[AmyK]

Go to www.LoopWriter.com. This is a FUN game that you create to review vocabulary in any subject and grade level.

Amy

[Unregistered]

Hi. I am looking for new ways to teach science vocabulary in new and creative ways my students will enjoy. The notecard system is getting old with them.

Any suggestions? Thanks a lot.
no.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS WEBSITE.
LOOKING FORWARD TO USING THIS WEBSITE ALOT

[Unregistered]

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[annettemcd]

Often when I teach units in Entomology to children as young as third graders, I teach them the roots of the words. When they know the root and the meaning of the word, often students can remember the word better.

For example: "Arthropod" --"Does anyone know some older person with arthritis?" "What hurts?" It does not take long to get to "joints." "What is a tripod?" Pod means "leg," so an "Arthropod" is an animal with jointed legs. "Why does it have jointed legs? Because it has an exoskeleton." "What is an exoskeleton?" "'Exo-' means "outside."

"Hemiptera" --"What is a hemisphere?" "'Hemi-' means "half." "'Ptera' means "wing." So the Hemiptera, the True Bugs, have Half Wings; their front are half hard and half soft. (After a short lesson followed by collection in the field, I have often had students run up to me and say, "It's a... It's a "half-wing," a "hemi-wing." After a few times, it takes little for them to remember "Hemiptera.")

"Homoptera" --"What does 'homo-' mean?" After you ignore the snickers, you can get the students to determine that "homo-" means "same." Homoptera have wings which are the same front and back.

The difference between "hypo-" and "hyper-" can easily be remembered if you think about "hyperactive" or "hypodermic (under the skin) injection." So then, is it "hypothermic" or "hyperthermic" when someone's body temperature is dropping?

...and they do not even know that they are learning Latin and Greek.

By the way, science is truly an international language. I have spent time in Russia doing scientific work with Russian scientists and have talked about science when my Russian was poor and their English was not great, but the scientific terms are the same in both language.

[msteach]

My students do fine using the notecard system, and they also love to play a concentration-like game using cards.

I've used the Jeopardy powerpoint template for activities also. It's a treat for the students. I ordered a 5-person buzzer system to use when administering Jeopardy.